In the past, timer actuated devices have been used to turn power (gas or electric) on or off of a stove. Prior timer controlled valve actuated devices used to turn on stoves, or control valves can be divided into three separate categories.
The first group of timer controlled valve actuating devices is exemplified by U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,626,661, 2,315,774, 2,019,008, and 2,302,624 by McDowell, Couzens, Hauser, and Gallagher.
These patents relate to a gas stove and utilize an auxiliary timer controlled gas control valve in combination with a manually operated gas control knob stove so that the stove can be operated conventionally by the use of the manual gas control knob, or in a timer controlled operation by using the auxiliary timer controlled gas control knob.
The second group of timer controlled valve actuating devices is exemplified by the U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,894,557, 3,820,405, and 3,595,273, by Impett, Hong, and Kolodziej. These patents are characterized by mounting a timing mechanism inside a control knob attached to a gas control valve in the stove.
The third group of timer controlled valve actuating devices is exemplified by the U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,803,923, and 4,090,532 by Hajny and Story Jr. These patents are not specially designed for stoves but they illustrate various ways valves can be time controlled.
Some stoves have the features described in the above identified first and second groups of patents built into the stove so that the burners on these stoves can be manually or time controlled. However many stoves, particularly older, less expensive stoves do not. Previously attachments such as those described in the first and second groups of patents have been made for connection to older stoves to provide them with a timer controlled function. However, when adding this feature to a stove, particularly the features described in the first and second groups of patents described above, a technician was required to open the gas lines in the stove. This need for a technician to modify the gas lines of the stove was expensive.
Moreover, persons on camping trips or traveling in mobile homes often use small stoves powered by propane or kerosene, and they are inconvenienced because such stoves do not have a timer control.
It is apparent that it would be desireable to have a timer controlled stove operating device, so that persons using any stove, even small propane or kerosene powered stoves such as those used on camping trips may have the convenience of a timer controlled stove, and to provide such a timer controlled stove comprises an important object of this invention.